#everything is so high stakes save the city/world/universe i am TIRED

[icarryitin]

GOD THE WAY THAT YOU WRITE SPENCER IS FUCKING FASCINATING AND SO TRUE TO WHO HE IS! CANNOT WAIT FOR MORE OF THE CAN-YOU UNIVERSE 😭🫶🏻😭🫶🏻

is this….a marriage proposal?? bc i accept???

no but ACTUALLY i could wax poetic about this guy for hours bc what is a random guy from a procedural copaganda drama written for middle aged women doing with all that character development???? there is so much MEAT in the writing of this show, esp in the early seasons, i am genuinely distraught that i was seven years old when it started and it took me this long to truly find it……

[mosshead-lover]

The Act of LordE: Part-7

Rehabilitation

~ Bakugou & Izuku x Reader

Summary: [y/n] moves to her dream city having abundant hopes. Her encounter with Katsuki Bakugou, sends unsettling ripples through her life. Determined to earn an apology for her boyfriend, Izuku Midoriya, she gets into a game with Katsuki. Will the game remain a simple game even at the stake of her love life?

<<Previous

A/n: You will enjoy this better if you have read the previous parts before! ^^

Part-1 | Part-2 | Part-3 | Part-4 | Part-5 | Part-6 |

--Start--

A promising hero student losing his quirk was all over the news. The government had assured the nation of wiping out any sign of the evil product, down to the villains behind it. But this event made the public question the efficiency of the heroes and the government. The incident ignited by a local gang of thieves had created quite a stir.

Anyone who knew [y/n] could tell. She was the most disturbed, and a pang of uncertain guilt always clouded her face. [y/n] felt the most pathetic at work. It killed her to work in the absence of a man who, at the expense of something more important than his life, had saved her. The blame she held on herself became a hundred times heavier every second at the agency. She would feel a heavy lump in her throat, making it hard to breathe, as if the world was telling her she didn't deserve the air. She would end up fainting or break down. The agency had extended her internship by another month. So she can rest and recover well from the incident. She missed being busy, but she knew the agency was right.

”You cannot go on like this!” Izuku expressed his concerns on the way back from picking her up from the agency. She had been staying over at Izuku's since that day. He insisted that she did.

A week later...

The sun was already set, and the street lights illuminated the way. Izuku walked home faster than usual.

'[y/n] has to hear this now!'

he thought. He had to see her in flesh and blood. He had to see her shed the worries. He had to embrace her and tell her everything was going to be okay, indeed.

[y/n] was woken up by the sound of door unlatched. She sat up to welcome Izuku.

"Hey there, sleepyhead." Deku greeted in his usual warm tone.

"Hi, Izuu." [y/n] greeted him back, bringing her palm close to her mouth, yawning.

"Guess who visited UA University today?" Deku's eyes were dilated to adjust the dim room and, the street light reflecting off his green pupils made them shine like precious gems.

"Who?" [y/n] questioned him back as the ritual went, clearly uninterested.

"Aizawa-sensei!" His eyes went wide.

"Oh! your home-coming teacher?" [y/n] was more attentive now. She stood up, reaching the switchboard to turn on the lights.

"Yes! and Eri-chan too!"

[y/n] knew Eri. Deku had told her everything. She hadn't slept the day Deku told her Eri's story. She felt sad for the horrible things that little girl had to go through. She had even visited Eri once. [y/n] felt better looking at Eri doing well. She had been preparing for UA high entrance exams, determined to follow her beloved Nii-san's(Izuku's) footsteps.

"Hope she is doing well." [y/n] was smiling involuntarily at the mention of Eri.

Deku went on without feeling the need to assure [y/n] about Eri' well being.

"The reason they were there is.." Izuku tried to give a dramatic pause which miserably failed.

".. to discuss Kachan's revival!" He almost squeaked.

Eri's quirk let her transform anything she touched into its former form. A dangerous yet powerful quirk if learnt to control. But, it was never used as Eri was yet to learn how to control her power. Besides, Aizawa and other pros were against burdening her with such huge responsibilities. She was just a kid, after all. But, this time, Eri had volunteered. She had grown beyond feeling her quirk was a curse that took her parents and everything else from her. She knew her true power lay in returning something that was taken away. Surely, she couldn't revive what was taken away from her but, if she could do it for others, she wasn't going to sit back and watch. After testing her in and out, Aizawa had decided that she might be able to succeed.

"Eri's quirk!" [y/n] exclaimed. She slumped in to the sofa and let out a huge sigh. Knowing that there was a possibility that Katsuki could get his power back changed the world for her.

Izuku and [y/n] were in bed. They had had a cheerful dinner. Izuku must have mentioned at least a dozen times how happy he was to see [y/n] smile again.

"Will you visit Kachan at least now?" Deku casually questioned, staring at the ceiling.

[y/n] remained silent. Deku grunted as he shifted to face [y/n].

"[y/n]-chan" Deku then patiently waited for an answer.

"I will go tomorrow." [y/n] finally responded, her response almost inaudible.

Katsuki hated having visitors. He hated them trying to sympathise, trying to give him false hopes and the way they looked at him as though he was a helpless pup. He hated it the most. When he tried the hardest not to think about the future, all their visits did was remind him that. Luckily the glass chunks hadn't pierced deeper than a few muscle layers. He had argued with the doctor to let him go home soon. The doctor had patiently explained that he had to be kept under observation for at least a week, for he had been struck with way too many quirk erasers.

Katsuki was sleepy and tired all the time. By the time [y/n] visited him, he was a lot better. He could read a JUMP and even walk around the room before his eyelids felt heavy again. When [y/n] entered the room, Katsuki didn't recognise her anymore. The face otherwise filled with resentment and disgust was filled with gratitude and kindness with a hint of guilt. Katsuki wasn't sure how he felt about this transformation. [y/n] forced a smile as she nervously walked to his bed. She had begged Izuku to go along. He had refused to, saying she had to do it herself.

”Besides, Kachan will only be ruder to you with me around, ” he had joked. Little did he know that Kachan was hardest on her when alone. Kachan was more confused than ever. Unsure of how to react, he reached for the water glass set next to his bed. He gulped down the water hurriedly, ending up coughing and spilling it all over him. His body wasn't recovered enough to keep up with his speed. He should have known. [y/n] quickly took her handkerchief out and started dabbing the dampness as she took away the glass from him. She didn't look up until she felt his grip on her wrist. It was weak physically yet, she froze.

"I...I.."

"Don't you dare," He hissed. [y/n] was confused.

"I was just..."

"Shhhhh.." He stopped her midway and pulled her closer. Her face inches away from his.

"Can you not.." He muttered, searching for words, looking away.

"I am sorry" [y/n] didn't know why she was apologising. For dabbing his chest without permission? For his quirk?

Katskuki submerged in the way the air hushed out from her mouth tingled his skin, neglecting her words entirely.

"Bakugou! How are you feeling today?" The overly enthusiastic doctor entered the room.

[y/n] and Katsuki quickly parted. Katsuki let out a sigh, half thankful for the intervene.

"I am okay." He didn't quite return the doctor's energy.

"You can leave." He muttered, looking at [y/n] from the corner of his eye.

"The madame can stay. I will hardly take a minute. " The doctor beamed as he plugged the stethoscope to his ears, clearly aware of his intrusion and bad-timing.

"Um, I will come by later, I guess. Bye." [y/n] almost ran out of there.

She let her head sink in her palms. She hadn't done a single thing she had rehearsed. Thank him, ask him how he was, apologise and mostly, mostly to start fresh.

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[nullanythorm-ao3]

Ours by Taylor Swift & Adult Variro Headcanons

Okay so I’ve been sitting on a TISE update for forever and I AM making progress on it - but I need to talk about this because I think I’ve found what is the quintessential Variro song (that isn’t a Disney song - we’ll talk about that one later). And as much as I want to focus on fanfiction, this thing has been driving me crazy. 

So, in case you want to listen before reading: this sentence will be linked to the song

Let’s talk about Ours by Taylor Swift, and how I think it perfectly fits my OTP as an adult relationship - and in some parts works even as their relationship is beginning. 

A couple things to know before we get started: 

This is centered around the idea of a modern AU, it could work in other aspects, but it’s what I think about when I listen to it

Varian was a villain, before falling for Hiro in his mid-late teens (15-18) and their relationship started up

That being said - let’s get into this song and unpack how I feel its lyrics perfectly encapsulate everything I love about these two little science nerds. 

Elevator Buttons and Morning Air Strangers’ silence makes me want to take the stairs If you were here we’d laugh about their vacant stares But right now, my time is theirs

So, being adults now, I imagine the two of them both have pretty stable jobs being boy geniuses. Hiro probably works with Krei at some company (I like the idea of them partnering and giving Krei Tech a makeover into a business called Hamada & Krei, where Hiro tends to reign in Krei’s lackadaisical approach to his technology by being a super stern head of R&D), and Varian I picture working in biotech and chemical engineering - especially in the medical field (i imagine part of what lead him to villainy was Quirin contracting someone that he was desperate to cure). 

Varian, being socially awkward, isn’t really good with people when it comes to his job. Especially since I feel like his identity as a villain would have been revealed to the public at some point along his redemption, so the general populace would probably still be pretty judgmental about him. He doesn’t like dealing with them, but he and Hiro usually just laugh it off when they’re together. Varian still struggles with it on his own though - especially at work and meetings and the like. 

Seems like there’s always someone who disapproves They’ll judge it like they know about me and you And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do  The jury’s out, my choice is you

This is one of a couple areas of this songs that reads like a small conversation between the two. The first two lines being Varian, and the second two being Hiro. 

Now, this is the interesting bit. My personal headcanon is that Hiro and BH6 wind up going all Tony Stark/Iron Man at some point and reveals their identity. Even if the entirety of BH6 doesn’t reveal themselves, I definitely think Hiro would, especially in being involved in a multi-million dollar tech business and partnered (in business) with one of the most famous and influential men in the city, if not the world - on top of being a boy genius. I think the stress of all that AND being a superhero would kind of get to him, so he just kind of reveals it at some point. 

Even if he doesn’t - I think all that positive attention on him would definitely contrast all the negative attention on Varian as a former villain whose identity would have definitely been revealed. As such, their relationship would definitely be judged by a lot of the people around them, save for their closer friends. By the way, no, Varian doesn’t join Big Hero in this universe. Think of him more as an occasional “guy in the chair” who helps direct them or give them alibis at times, but is never directly involved in the crime fighting. He’s just support. He’d be too affected by all the negative attention, I think, and wouldn’t want to draw any more to himself when so many people are already judging his and Hiro’s relationship. 

But of course, Hiro only has eyes for Varian. He always reassures him that there’s no need to pay attention to people with enough free time to worry about who someone’s dating. He loves his little raccoon just the way he is, and wouldn’t trade Varian for the world. 

So don’t you worry your pretty little mind  People throw rocks at things that shine And life makes love look hard  The stakes are high, the water’s rough  But this love is ours

THE CHORUS. OHMYGOD THE ChORUS.

It’s just. SO perfect. For these two. Starting off with “Don’t you worry your pretty little mind”. Ohmygod. That sounds so much like something they’d say to each other. Yes, they’re both considered very attractive and have pretty faces, but that’s not what’s important to them. It’s their minds. They connect to each other because they’re both boy geniuses with cutting with and quick, casual tongues. They’re the only people who can keep up with each other in conversation, and that just kind of lead them to wind up together. Their minds are so connected and linked together that it’s all they see in each other, more than anything else. 

And of course, they have a pretty rough, rocky relationship. Between the reveal of Varian being a villain, his subsequent decision to fall for Hiro and redeem himself, and the judgement they both get from others for their decision to love each other - “the stakes are high, the water’s rough” definitely fits. No matter how many stones get thrown at them and how hard their relationship is at times because of outside influence, however - 

They love each other, and they work together and overcome everything that comes their way. I love this chorus so much. However, as it’s repeated throughout the song a bunch and this post is already incredibly long, this will be the only time it’s brought up in this post until the end.~ \

You never know what people have up their sleeves Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles But I don’t care, ‘cause right now you’re mine 

And you’ll say

So I don’t think I need to say much about this stanza here - but I will anyway because that’s what this is all about. 

So, naturally, this is all Hiro to Varian. He had quite a history, and Hiro always learns like he’s learning something knew about his boyfriend and his stint as a villain. From having been arrested in his own home town for thievery and other acts against the mayor’s family (Frederic) for not working on or accepting his own ideas on research for a cure for whatever - having to help him come to terms with all the people he’s wronged in the past as well as all of San Fransokyo. Varian’s got a deep history. 

There always seems to be something new just around the corner, out of view, ready to pop out at him. But it doesn’t bother him, because they belong to each other, belong together. Varian’s his, and he’s Varian’s, and he’ll do whatever it takes to help sort things out. And no matter how much the people from Varian’s past may even judge Hiro, not knowing him, for being involved with him, Varian will always be there for him, just like he’s always there for Varian - 

this stanza leads into the chorus, so let’s move  right on to the next part. 

And it’s not theirs to speculate if it’s wrong and  Your hands are tough but they are where mine belong and  I’ll fight their doubt and give you faith  With this song for you

If the last stanza was all Hiro, this one is all Varian. He’s a bit more snippy with the people who judge their relationship than Hiro is. Of course he is, it’s Varian. He’ll flat out tell people they have no business meddling in their affairs while Hiro will mostly just ignore it and reassure Varian that he doesn’t need to bother them. He gets tired of people saying that he and Hiro, a villain and a hero (whether actual revealed super hero or just “local hero”), don’t belong together. 

Still he loves Hiro and knows the two of them are meant together. “Your hands are tough” are more than likely a reference to the fact that Hiro’s hands probably get pretty calloused working on machines and technology and stuff all day as compared to Varian’s delicate chemistry hands.~ I like to headcanon that Varian has a slimmer build while Varian is not necessarily as muscular as Wasabi, but still not as much of a “twink” as Varian when he grows up (or Tadashi, despite their being brothers and genetically linked). 

And of course - Varian can sing. It’s always canon. No matter what. And I just see him kind of soothing Hiro’s nerves from time to time or them just relaxing together and him singing for him. It’s a fun little touch I wanted to add for the “song for you” bit.

Cause I love the gap between your teeth And I love the riddles that you speak And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos  Will be ignored, 'cause my heart is yours

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

So while I love the ENTIRETY of this song for Variro, and you saw how much I freaked out over this chorus. This part. This part here was one of the parts I was most looking forward to writing out. 

This is another one of those stanzas 

So “I love the gap between your teeth” - Hiro has a gap tooth. Varian loves it. End of story. Simple. I think they’d both keep their tooth problems (gap tooth for hero and buckteeth for Varian) into adulthood, but they might be a tiny bit less pronounced. 

“and I love the riddles that you speak” is read so well as Hiro’s response to it. Because, again, Varian does tend to be a little more smooth-tongued and speak in riddles when he’s not being snippy, as compared to the more blunt and straightforward Hiro. It drives him crazy sometimes, but it’s fun for him to play those word games with him, and he loves Varian despite how difficult he can be at times. 

Now, let’s talk about the big boy here “Any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored, ‘cause my heart is yours”.  HIRO. GETS. TATTOOS. 

I think they’re mostly out of love for aunt Cass and the Lucky Cat. A calico cat and a bunch of showy, japanese-style tattoos. I don’t know of what exactly, but the calico cat is the big one - symbolic of the Lucky Cat and Mochi. While he’s serious and stern at work, he has a reputation for being casual, and never really grows out of that rebellious, punk atmosphere. Ripped jeans, leather jackets, probably rides a motorcycle. Sometimes it’s hard for people to see through that. And I definitely think that when Quirin first meets Hiro (he gets CURED of whatever he contracts! Thanks to Varian! He’s fine!) he kind of has a hard time seeing through it at first. I don’t think he likes Hiro much until he sees what a good match for Varian he is - he comes around eventually. 

And I lvoe the contrasted idea of Hiro coming off as rebellious and a punk and having a bit of a temper. However, he’s actually super sweet and a teddy bear underneath, always wanting to do what’s best for others. Meanwhile, Varian is kind of spindly with long limbs. He dresses in modest clothes - either sweaters or lots of button ups and vests. He gives off the impression of a perfect angel visibly, but his tongue is sharp and he’s more devilish than his appearance lets on. It’s. Synergy. And.  I love it. 

So after that it goes into one last chorus but it adds an extra line in there about

“They Can’t Take What’s Ours”

Which I think is a great addition for the end. Basically them saying they love each other. And no matter what people say, or how much criticism they get for dating, they love each other and no one can take that away from them. The people who are really important will always be there to support them, and that’s all that matters. 

Anyway that’s enough of me making an obsessively long post over a song no one probably listens to that just kind of got me all excited over my OTP. I’ll properly focus on fanfiction updates now. Thanks for anyone who read this beast 

[newstfionline]

Monday, October 19, 2020

As the Coronavirus Surges, a New Culprit Emerges: Pandemic Fatigue (NYT) When the coronavirus began sweeping around the globe this spring, people from Seattle to Rome to London canceled weddings and vacations, cut off visits with grandparents and hunkered down in their homes for what they thought would be a brief but essential period of isolation. But summer did not extinguish the virus. And with fall has come another dangerous, uncontrolled surge of infections that in parts of the world is the worst of the pandemic so far. The virus has taken different paths as leaders have tried to tamp down the spread with a range of restrictions. Shared, though, is a public weariness and a growing tendency to risk the dangers of the coronavirus, out of desire or necessity: With no end in sight, many people are flocking to bars, family parties, bowling alleys and sporting events much as they did before the virus hit, and others must return to school or work as communities seek to resuscitate economies. And in sharp contrast to the spring, the rituals of hope and unity that helped people endure the first surge of the virus have given way to exhaustion and frustration. Researchers from the World Health Organization estimate that about half of the population is experiencing “pandemic fatigue.” One New Yorker summed it up: “I am so tired of everything. Is it going to be over? I want it to be over.”

Biden and Trump Say They’re Fighting for America’s ‘Soul.’ (NYT) It is a phrase that has been constantly invoked by Democratic and Republican leaders. It has become the clearest symbol of the mood of the country, and what people feel is at stake in November. Everyone, it seems, is fighting for it. “This campaign isn’t just about winning votes. It’s about winning the heart and, yes, the soul of America,” Joseph R. Biden Jr. said in August at the Democratic National Convention, not long after the phrase “battle for the soul of America” appeared at the top of his campaign website, right next to his name. Picking up on this, a recent Trump campaign ad spliced videos of Democrats invoking “the soul” of America, followed by images of clashes between protesters and the police and the words “Save America’s Soul,” with a request to text “SOUL” to make a campaign contribution. That the election has become a referendum on the soul of the nation, suggests that in an increasingly secular country, voting has become a reflection of one’s individual morality—and that the outcome hinges in part on spiritual and philosophical questions that transcend politics: What, exactly, is the soul of the nation? What is the state of it? And what would it mean to save it?

Spanish demonstrators call for prosecution of former king (Reuters) Waving red, purple and yellow republican flags, demonstrators in 24 Spanish cities on Sunday called for the prosecution of the former king Juan Carlos who left Spain embroiled in controversy. The 82-year-old former monarch has been living in the United Arab Emirates since leaving Spain in August to avoid further embarrassing his son, King Felipe VI. While not formally under investigation, Juan Carlos could become a target in two inquiries in Spain and Switzerland into alleged corruption associated with a 6.7-billion-euro (£6.1 billion), high-speed Saudi train contract won by Spanish firms.

Covid-19’s first wave largely missed southern Italy. The second wave is hitting it hard. (Washington Post) When northern Italy became the epicenter of the pandemic in the spring, one urgent concern was that the country’s coronavirus outbreak would quickly spread to the less-prosperous south and overwhelm under-resourced regional health systems. That fear wasn’t realized. A strict nationwide lockdown largely contained the virus in the north and brought the outbreak under control. But now the virus is raging again, through Europe and through Italy, with a spike that is again hitting the north but this time also the south. In Campania, which includes Naples, the daily number of detected new cases is five times larger than March’s peak. Compared with six months ago, there is more space to accommodate critical patients in southern Italy. There are more ventilators. Still, many hospitals in the south remain understaffed and have fewer beds per capita than those in the north. They could reach a breaking point if the number of critical patients soars.

Tens of thousands march in Belarus despite firearms threat (Reuters) Tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of the Belarusian capital Minsk on Sunday to demand the resignation of veteran president Alexander Lukashenko, despite a threat by officials to use firearms against protesters. Belarus, a former Soviet republic closely allied with Russia, has been rocked by strikes and weekly street protests since authorities announced that Lukashenko, who has ruled in authoritarian fashion since 1994, had secured re-election on Aug. 9 with 80% of votes. The Interfax news agency put the number of protesters at over 30,000. It said about 50 had been detained by the police, and that the mobile broadband signal had been disrupted in parts of the city. It also said loud noises that sounded like stun grenades had been heard close to the march. A senior police official said last week that officers would reserve the right to use firearms against demonstrators.

Russia shuns tough restrictions even as infections soar (AP) It’s Friday night in Moscow, and popular bars and restaurants in the city center are packed. No one except the staff is wearing a mask or bothers to keep their distance. There is little indication at all that Russia is being swept by a resurgence of coronavirus infections. “I believe that everyone will have the disease eventually,” says Dr. Alexandra Yerofeyeva, an internal medicine specialist at an insurance company, while sipping a cocktail at The Bix bar in Moscow. She adds cheerfully: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” The outbreak in Russia this month is breaking the records set in the spring, when a lockdown to slow the spread of the virus was put in place. But, as governments across Europe move to reimpose restrictions to counter rising cases, authorities in Russia are resisting shutting down businesses again. The spring lockdown hurt the country’s already weakened economy and compounded Russians’ frustration with plummeting incomes and worsening living conditions, driving Putin’s approval rating to a historic low of 59% in April, according to the Levada Center, Russia’s top independent pollster. Analysts say his government doesn’t want to return to those darks days. “They know that people have just come to the end of their tolerance of the lockdown measures that would be hugely unpopular if they got imposed again,” said Judy Twigg, a professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, specializing in global health.

China Warns U.S. It May Detain Americans in Response to Prosecutions of Chinese Scholars (WSJ) Chinese government officials are warning their American counterparts they may detain U.S. nationals in China in response to the Justice Department’s prosecution of Chinese military-affiliated scholars, according to people familiar with the matter. The Chinese officials have issued the warnings to U.S. government representatives repeatedly and through multiple channels, the people said, including through the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. The Chinese message, the people said, has been blunt: The U.S. should drop prosecutions of the Chinese scholars in American courts, or Americans in China might find themselves in violation of Chinese law. China started issuing the warning this summer after the U.S. began arresting a series of Chinese scientists, who were visiting American universities to conduct research, and charged them with concealing from U.S. immigration authorities their active duty statuses with the People’s Liberation Army, the people said. Chinese authorities have on occasion detained foreign nationals in moves seen by their governments as baseless, or in some instances as diplomatic retaliation, a tactic that many in Washington policy circles have referred to as “hostage diplomacy.”

Thailand’s king faces trouble on two continents (Los Angeles Times) The scion of one of the world’s most privileged families, he wrapped himself in the trappings of royalty, wealth and a comfortable hideaway thousands of miles from his subjects. For Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, the cocoon has come undone with remarkable speed. Last week in Berlin, the German government faced questions in Parliament over the king’s legal status in Bavaria, where he resides. Then, visiting Thailand this week to mark the fourth anniversary of his father’s death, the king’s family came face-to-face with pro-democracy protesters agitating for limits on his power. The reverence long demanded of Thailand’s monarchy is breaking down in ways big and small. Thais are refusing to stand for the royal anthem in movie theaters, lampooning the king in Facebook groups and openly questioning his immense wealth and spending. The scrutiny he is now facing in Germany is an added nuisance for a 68-year-old king who has long treated his adopted home as a playground. As the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years, Vajiralongkorn was destined to inherit the throne. But since about 2007 he has spent most of his time in Germany, where the tabloid press has followed his exploits with relish. He was pictured wearing a tight-fitting crop top over an otherwise bare torso while getting on a ski lift, and covered in temporary tattoos during an excursion to a Munich mall.

New Zealand’s Ardern credits virus response for election win (AP) A day after winning a second term in a landside victory, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Sunday she sees the election result as an endorsement of her government’s efforts to stamp out the coronavirus and reboot the economy. In the election, Ardern’s liberal Labour Party got 49% of the vote, crushing the conservative National Party, which got 27%. Ardern said the margin of the victory exceeded their expectations. Asked what she would say to those Americans who may draw inspiration from her win ahead of the U.S. elections, Ardern said she hoped people globally could move past the partisan divisions that elections often accentuate. “That can be damaging for democracy, regardless of the side of the House that you sit on,” she said.

As lockdown eases, Israelis again gather against Netanyahu (AP) Thousands of Israelis demonstrated outside the official residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night, resuming the weekly protest against the Israeli leader after emergency restrictions imposed as part of a coronavirus lockdown were lifted. The protesters gathered in central Jerusalem and marched to Netanyahu’s official residence, holding banners calling on him to go and shouting “Revolution!” Many blew horns and pounded on drums, while others hoisted Israeli flags. Scores of smaller demonstrations were held across the country, and organizers claimed some 260,000 people participated nationwide. The protesters say Netanyahu must resign, calling him unfit to lead the country while he is on trial for corruption charges. They also say he has mishandled the virus crisis, which has sent unemployment soaring. Netanyahu is on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes for his role in a series of scandals. He has denied the charges and said he is the victim of a conspiracy by overzealous police and prosecutors and a liberal media.

Uganda’s ‘taxi divas’ rise from COVID-19’s economic gloom (AP) Uganda’s new all-female ride-hailing service is called Diva Taxi. The taxi service, dreamed up by a local woman who lost her logistics job at the start of the coronavirus outbreak, was launched in June and has recruited over 70 drivers. They range from college students to mothers hoping to make good use of their secondhand Toyotas. “It started off as a joke, supported by close friends and family, but eventually the idea picked up,” said company spokeswoman Rebecca Makyeli. “They said, ‘Why not? As ladies, you know we can no longer slay on Instagram on the outside, so why don’t we slay as divas with a cause.’ So we called it Diva Taxi.” It’s uncommon to find women taxi drivers in Uganda, a socially conservative East African country where most women labor on farms or pursue work in the informal sector. Diva Taxi believes countless women are looking for job opportunities at a time of severe economic distress. The Diva Taxi app has been downloaded at least 500 times, and each of the company’s 72 drivers makes an average of 30 rides each week. The company expects to have 2,000 active users by the end of this year, a modest target in a city of over 3 million people where taxis and passenger motorcycles are the main means of transport for the working class. “We love what we are doing and it’s really fun,” said founder Kobusingye, an occasional driver herself. “I can’t wait to partner with every woman out there that’s willing to be part of Diva Taxi.”

Nigerian army plans nationwide exercise as protests rock country (Reuters) The Nigerian army will begin a two-month national exercise, it said on Saturday, while denying the move was part of any security response to recent widespread demonstrations against alleged police brutality. Operation Crocodile Smile would run across the country from Oct. 20 to Dec. 31, the first time the annual exercise, typically concentrated in the Delta region, will be nationwide, army spokesman Sagir Musa said. The move comes just days after the army said it was ready to step in and restore order, but Musa said in a statement that the exercise “has no relationship with any lawful protest under any guise whatsoever”. Nigerians demanding an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit and pressing for reforms and accountability have been rallying across the country. The army had on Wednesday issued a statement warning what it termed “subversive elements and trouble makers” that it was “ready to fully support the civil authority in whatever capacity to maintain law and order and deal with any situation decisively”.